Many factors influence protein production including gene copy number, gene location, transcription and translation efficiency, transcription factors and mRNA stability. Efforts have focused on the development of technology to manipulate these and other factors in order to increase protein production. Thus, for example, numerous reports of increased protein expression through altered codon usage are found in the literature, making this synthetic gene approach a common strategy for protein expression. Despite the reported advantages, often experimental observations underscore the importance of other factors in determining the efficiency of heterologous protein production. Thus, as yet no method has been devised that provides the level of predictability in protein production that is needed.
Accordingly, the present invention addresses the previous shortcomings of the art by providing methods for selecting a mRNA producing a protein of interest at a desired amount.